Horrible radio reception
#13
02-23-2007 | 03:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 424
From:
RE: Horrible radio reception
sounds like you guys with the poor reception probably have bad head units. If you put in an aftermarkt, that may fix fix the issue. I would also check all the locations that the antenna is plugged in at, like babyhuey said. I get FM stations just fine on my stock, but AM sucks, of course.
#16
10-30-2011 | 05:58 AM
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2
I just bought an 05 Mazda 3, and the radio has HORRIBLE reception. All of the FM channels that will come in on any other car radio in my area are full of static in my new car. I brought to the dealer, and they could not find anything wrong with connections, antennea, etc... but ended up replacing the antennea anyway. This did nothing, and they say there is nothing else that can be done. I brought it to a car radio specialty store, and the manager there said he used to have this car, and had the same problem. He also said there's nothing that can be done -- does anyone have a similar problem?
When you "seek" the channels, it stops on nothing, maybe one very local station. When you manually turn it to a channel, it is in and out static the entire time, although you can hear the station in the background-- thanks for your help, I'm so frustrated!
When you "seek" the channels, it stops on nothing, maybe one very local station. When you manually turn it to a channel, it is in and out static the entire time, although you can hear the station in the background-- thanks for your help, I'm so frustrated!
#17
06-19-2014 | 08:24 PM
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1
Radio Reception 2008 Mazda 3
Just purchased a used 2008 Mazda 3 today. While looking over the car before the purchase I quickly tested the radio. Never gave it much thought as I was more focused on the drive train, interior condition, etc. As the radio "worked" in the few moments I tested it out, I never gave it a second thought.
Once I got on the road home I noticed the radio reception for my fav station was rather poor. As I drove along the signal went to total crap. I have 3 other vehicles. One is a 1972 Chevy. The radio reception is "excellent" even in the old car.
Anyway, for the record, the OEM whip antenna on top of the used Mazda is damaged a bit (cracked plastic at the bottom). That was likely due to a car wash where the prior owner didn't remove it ahead of time.
Earlier this evening I removed the antenna off my wife's Prius and put that shorter antenna on the Mazda. No improvement. About the same.
Based on what I'm seeing here on the forum it would seem clear that Mazda designed a great car but has the worst radio sensitivity in the history of the automotive radio. I will go to a local dealer tomorrow & pay what is likely a stupid price for a new OEM antenna. I don't have much hope there will be much improvement. I'll post my findings once the new antenna is on.
It's just hard to believe. I live in Dallas Texas. Even my POS garage radio with a broken antenna picks up stations I can't even detect on the Mazda unit. Not too happy about it. Anyway, will buy a genuine Mazda antenna at the dealer & go from there. If it doesn't improve I will just go aftermarket. I just hope the Crutchfield route has "OEM" like replacements. I don't need or want GPS or all that other crap. I just want a functional radio that looks OEM.
Once I got on the road home I noticed the radio reception for my fav station was rather poor. As I drove along the signal went to total crap. I have 3 other vehicles. One is a 1972 Chevy. The radio reception is "excellent" even in the old car.
Anyway, for the record, the OEM whip antenna on top of the used Mazda is damaged a bit (cracked plastic at the bottom). That was likely due to a car wash where the prior owner didn't remove it ahead of time.
Earlier this evening I removed the antenna off my wife's Prius and put that shorter antenna on the Mazda. No improvement. About the same.
Based on what I'm seeing here on the forum it would seem clear that Mazda designed a great car but has the worst radio sensitivity in the history of the automotive radio. I will go to a local dealer tomorrow & pay what is likely a stupid price for a new OEM antenna. I don't have much hope there will be much improvement. I'll post my findings once the new antenna is on.
It's just hard to believe. I live in Dallas Texas. Even my POS garage radio with a broken antenna picks up stations I can't even detect on the Mazda unit. Not too happy about it. Anyway, will buy a genuine Mazda antenna at the dealer & go from there. If it doesn't improve I will just go aftermarket. I just hope the Crutchfield route has "OEM" like replacements. I don't need or want GPS or all that other crap. I just want a functional radio that looks OEM.
#18
06-22-2014 | 03:18 PM
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2
I had the same problem, and in the end it turned out to be that the hole in the back of the radio where the antenna cable plugs in had somehow been widened, maybe because when putting in the plug someone wriggled too much. That caused the contact to weaken, and reception to fail. You can bend the metal parts inside the hole slightly back, and then contact will be good and reception improved. Try it!
I just bought an 05 Mazda 3, and the radio has HORRIBLE reception. All of the FM channels that will come in on any other car radio in my area are full of static in my new car. I brought to the dealer, and they could not find anything wrong with connections, antennea, etc... but ended up replacing the antennea anyway. This did nothing, and they say there is nothing else that can be done. I brought it to a car radio specialty store, and the manager there said he used to have this car, and had the same problem. He also said there's nothing that can be done -- does anyone have a similar problem?
When you "seek" the channels, it stops on nothing, maybe one very local station. When you manually turn it to a channel, it is in and out static the entire time, although you can hear the station in the background-- thanks for your help, I'm so frustrated!
When you "seek" the channels, it stops on nothing, maybe one very local station. When you manually turn it to a channel, it is in and out static the entire time, although you can hear the station in the background-- thanks for your help, I'm so frustrated!
#19
12-27-2018 | 02:11 AM
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1
From: Cape Town
Fm
how do you tune?
I live in big city yet there is no acknowledgement of
FM on my radio. Thanks
#20
10-05-2024 | 08:50 PM
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6
From: CA, USA
2008 M3 GT with Bose audio. Reception sucks! Knew it when I bought it used but son uses phone and BT FM transmitter to 107.3 from console power outlet, sounds freaking awesome. I live 35 miles from Los Angeles and can get 56 FM stations in my '14 Chrysler stock radio, all clear as CD. My M3 gets.....ZERO! on a scan Itll just lap the entire FM dial but you can manually punch in 3 stations and they will come in decently. not sure why they were not picked up by a scan. Curiously they are all under 97Mhz but maybe just a coincidence. So I take my crappy $4 whip antenna off my 82 Mazda truck and plug the entire thing into the back of the radio thats sitting on the gear shifter. Laid on the rood I get a few stations but if I hoist it straight up 32" I get the whole range of stations again. I think the antenna system on thses cars just is not good going through 3 different cables OR the amplifier right off the antenna base is not working? Ive never been up in there but a few posts show this little device and I think I even read this antenna goes through a capacitor?? tried 4 different threaded antennas from the spring base stock to a long whip off a Ford Truck to a little rubber stubby, and all of them work the same: BAD. I really think there is something in the circuit that is not working...and it ate the only CD I put in there "CHECK CD" I think the load rollers were not working properly and the CD never reached the 6 disk platter. Time to operate, but I know the radio works using that crappy antenna? Maybe the stock coaxial (?) cable is F'd somewhere. Considering a 9" Android head unit but the reception is crap on those too and I would lose the LED data display off the BOSE head unit.